October 13: Hot Times at the High Court: Suncor v. Boulder County and the Future of Climate Litigation

Title:
Hot Times at the High Court: Suncor v. Boulder County and the Future of Climate Litigation

In recent years, dozens of state and local governments have filed suit against fossil fuel companies in state courts under state law seeking compensation for present and anticipated harms caused by climate change. One of these cases, Suncor Energy v. Boulder County, is the first case on the U.S. Supreme Court's docket for the October 2026 term. 

In Suncor, the justices are asked to decide whether federal law or the Constitution preempts state law-based tort claims against companies that produce or market fossil fuels seeking damages for the consequences of climate change. The resulting decision could have widespread implications for climate change policy, as well as for the American system of federalism. This event will review the issues and arguments before the Supreme Court in Suncor, analyze the oral argument, and consider the case's broader implications.

Webinar Date+Time:
Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
Noon-1 PM ET | 11 AM-Noon CT | 10-11 AM MT | 9-10 AM PT.
Free Continuing Legal Education Webinar – Register Now!
Speakers:

• Jonathan Adler is Cabell Research Professor and Tazewell Taylor Professor of Law at William & Mary Law School. He previously served as the inaugural Johan Verheij Memorial Professor of Law and founding Director of the Coleman P. Burke Center for Environmental Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He is the author or editor of seven books, has testified before Congress numerous times, and his scholarship in environmental and administrative law has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Paul Salamanca is Wendell H. Ford Professor of Law at the University of Kentucky. He clerked for Judge David H. Souter on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and later for Justice Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court. He previously served in senior leadership roles within the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and writes extensively on separation of powers, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and privacy.

By:
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Credit:

• Ohio: 1 credit hour in Ohio. You may be able to self‑apply for credit in some other states.

More Information And Registration